Ten Years
by SG1-0
Summary: A hero is lost. A premature apocalyspe consumes the world. In the meantime, an ancient evil from before time rises again. -this is actually a remake of a story that I made in '06 and was very badly written lol-
1. Not As Planned

"Aw, come on Eggman! I go on vacation for a month, and come back to find this!?"

It was an ordinary day in the heart of Station Square. A giant robot versus a colorful parade of animals smack dab in the middle of traffic. The leader of the animals was none other than the world renowned Sonic the Hedgehog. Famous for being the fastest thing alive, a kindhearted-but-cocky hero, plus an unnatural shade of blue, the hedgehog was known for traveling the many lands of the planet while defeating any evils that dared to stand in his way. Today, he was busy doing what he does best; fighting his long time nemesis, Dr. Robotnik. However, thanks to the media, everyone calls him Eggman, due to the fact his extra layers of fat left him resembling an egg. Along with this, the madman's choices of machinery were, coincidentally, shaped like eggs. As usual, the doctor's machine-of-the-week was more of a horribly falsified image of himself: a colossal egg complete with limbs, hidden weaponry in every crevice of its body, and a throne for its creator to control it with. It even had massive golden crown, proving how the man's delusions of grandeur were grossly exaggerated. "Well then hedgehog, let's see how well you fend off my latest creation, The Egg King!!" the doctor replied triumphantly. "Ha, I wonder how many of the king's men will he need to put this humpty dumpty back together!" the blue hero jeered as he made a mad dash towards the behemoth.

In his mind, the hedgehog already had everything planned out: find the weak point, abuse the crap out of it, and watch the fireworks as the thing caved in on its self and exploded to bits. That's how these fights usually were. It made Sonic think though. Could Eggman ever get a clue? Would he see that no matter what, he'd never succeed? _"For an I.Q. of 300, this guy's a real dumbass," _he thought whilst dodging oncoming missiles. A quick turn to the left and the blue blur blasted into one of the robot's legs. With its balance wavering, the giant egg teetered to one side. Just as sudden as Sonic's attack, bombs began falling from the sky. "WHY YOU LITTLE!?" Eggman cried in his seat as he spotted a red low-flying biplane. The mustachioed villain sneered as the aircraft whizzed by and fired away at his cockpit. Before it was gone he caught a glimpse of the plane's twin-tailed pilot and pink passenger. "Heh, well if it isn't fox boy and pinkie! So glad you could join the party!" he roared with laughter and sent lock on rockets their way. The plane swirled through the air, barely missing the assault. The stray rockets instead rammed into an innocent office building. "There goes another lawsuit," the plane's young pilot muttered. At the age of eight, Miles Prower was an expert mechanic and aviator, plus the blue hero's one and only best friend. He was also a good source for a quick laugh, due to nature cruelly bestowing him with a second tail. This earned him the nickname "Tails" since he didn't like his other name that much to begin with. From past experiences, Tails knew every time Eggman decided he would try his hand at taking over civilization, Sonic and co. were the only ones who could handle it. This meant if any damage was done, they had to pay for it in the end. "Don't worry Tails," the pink-haired hedgehog sitting behind him reassured. "Maybe the president will cut us some slack this time." The fox turned around and eyed her for a split second. Amy Rose was her name, and making Sonic her boyfriend was her game. However, Sonic didn't enjoy playing that game as much as she did. The girl smiled sweetly at the fox. Perhaps, she was right. "I really hope so Amy," The boy replied just in time to dodge another barrage of rockets. Back on the ground, the blue hedgehog made his best effort to get the upper hand of the situation. So far, there was no sign of a weak spot. He had hit every square inch of the bot's body, even the doctor's cockpit, but he received no reward. If a smiling turret was a reward, then that was different story. Without much thought, the hedgehog stopped dead in his tracks, calling a temporary truce.

"Hm? What's the matter rodent, you give up?!" Eggman seemed anxious, like he wanted the hedgehog to continue. "Naahh, I'm just..." Sonic began and let out a bored yawn. "I'm just lookin' for a fight, you know? 'Cause you don't seem to be putting up one!" He smiled as if the battle had already been won. The grin spread even more as his friends in the sky cheered him on. Unfortunately, Eggman was not amused. In a blind fit of rage, the flailing arms of the Egg King came crashing down to the pavement. A massive shockwave rocketed through the earth, destroying the streets, throwing cars and people into the air, and forcing the hedgehog to find higher ground. On the other hand, he had to stop, because an airborne bus was coming his way. Sonic jumped, avoiding the obstacle and shockwave at the same time. As his little red shoes hit the ground, the Egg King behind him had fallen, for the bus had rammed into it. The blue hero didn't care about this small victory. His attention was centered on a dreadlocked figure in the distance. "WHAT THE HELL KNUCKLES. I HAD HIM WHERE I WANTED HIM!"

"HEY! IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS!"

"Well, it was a horrible thought." Sonic grinned as his red ally reddened even more with anger. Supposedly the last of an ancient tribe of echidnas, Knuckles had known Sonic for a long, long time. A tad too long in fact. With each appearance of the blue rodent, Knuckles' urge to punch him square in the jaw increased tenfold. "Shut up and finish your play date with Robotnik already. I don't get enough settlements from this accident-prone city to be throwing buses around," the echidna barked. Ignoring the redhead, Sonic turned back to his fight, only to be slapped silly by the metal hand of the doctor's machine. Partially unconscious, his limp body flew into the top floor of an apartment building. Instinctively, Sonic's girlfriend-to-be jumped out of the sky to save her love. "AMY!!!" the blond fox screamed in horror. Immediately, Tails forced his plane into a nose dive to go after the girl. Alas, his plane was not fast enough. Despite the perfect visual of her heroically saving the day and Sonic that played in her mind, the cold, hard claws of the Egg King caught her in mid air. They commenced with crushing the life out her. "LET HER GO!" Knuckles roared and finally threw him self into battle. He dashed towards the monster bot and began to pummel it with his spiked fists. Already under fire from the red plane buzzing about, the enraged echidna would certainly turn the tables for the worse. A worried Eggman scrambled to use his last resort. The doctor pulled a large yellow switch that lied in the middle of the dashboard of his throne. The penultimate disaster had arrived. As the two hands holding Amy released her, an additional six arms sprouted out of the robot's back with each trio of limbs after their own objective; three went after the echidna and another three after the fox's plane.

Seemingly being an easy challenge for Knuckles, the trio of limbs quickly adapted to his pattern of punches. Two arms distracted him, while one snuck up and lunged at him at from behind. All three clutched the red head as he struggled for freedom. At the last minute, an electric current from each arm knocked the echidna out cold. In the air, Tails' fate was no better. He jumped out of his precious plane before two of the limbs grabbed it, then tore it in half. Using his unnatural gift, the fox spun his tails in the same fashion as a helicopter rotor to continue his escape. The three arms chasing after him had other plans. From the tips of their fingers, multiple heat-seeking missiles were fired. The boy didn't stand a chance as all but a few of the projectiles hit their target dead-on. From the view of a wrecked apartment suite, a half-conscious hedgehog watched in horror as his friends were taken out one by one. "No...NOO!!" he cried while stumbling to his feet in total disbelief. Only one thing was on his mind: get Eggman. The blue blur galloped out of the twentieth story of the building he had crashed in. Zooming along the side of the structure, his trail of dust alerted his enemy of his approach. The mustachioed villain started to chuckle. "The city has surely been evacuated by now, and all your little buddies are down for the count! IT'S JUST YOU AND ME HEDGEHOG." With that, the final fight began. The doctor let loose his entire arsenal; a nearly infinite amount of bombs, lasers, missiles, and bullet rounds. Except no matter what the evil doctor launched at his adversary, the little red-shoed rodent would just not go down. "AUGH!!", the fat man screamed. "ENOUGH OF THIS. I WILL PUT AN END TO YOU FOR THE LAST TIME!!" As quick as the hedgehog him self, the eight arms of the Egg King slithered to the floor. Their hands transformed into mouths filled with jagged, drilling teeth. Still with no fear, Sonic battled against the newly formed serpents. Sadly, eight against one was not a fair match. One misstep from the hedgehog was all it took to snatch him by the heel of his right foot. The massive jaws of the single arm flung him into the air, allowing the other seven to firmly grasp his body. The hero screamed in pain as the teeth of the limbs shredded through his flesh. Slowly, to savor the moment, the arms raised the fallen boy to the face of his victorious opponent. The fat man simply laughed at his anguish. "Finally! FINALLY!!!" the man cheered and quickly stood up while the shield of his cockpit retracted. "So many years and I have finally gotten a hold of you!"

".........."

"WHAHA!! And you have nothing to say about it! This is excellent!"

"....N-no, I mean, I'd give you a pat on the back...but--" Sonic winced as the tip of his right ear was neatly chewed off. "I'm obviously tied up at the moment." His attempt at a smile infuriated the previously happy doctor. "YOU THINK YOU CAN STILL INSULT ME!?!" Eggman shouted. He slammed his fist on the button that triggered the electrical currents. The resulted blood-curdling screams from his nemesis satisfied him. Sonic was left wheezing and coughing. With black dots beginning to form in his vision, he could hardly speak a word now. Unexpectedly, a steady beeping from Eggman's seat went off. The man glanced at his radar. Something was coming to ruin his efforts. "I'll tell you what hedgehog. As much as I hate to say this, I must cut your torture short. It seems G.U.N has decided to finally send their units to help your sorry excuse of a soul. So, I need to dispose of you in the quickest and most unnoticeable manner possible." Silence followed as the doctor began to type away at his dashboard. He pressed buttons and flipped switches, this all resulting in many lights to turn off and on. The hedgehog could only watch. He hung there as only one thought ran through his mind. _"W-what happened? What did I do wrong?!"_he questioned himself, but knew there was no answer; at least it wasn't there now. Finding one would be too painful, almost as painful as the whizzing teeth that were tearing him apart at this very moment. At last, Eggman had completed his task. He eyed the hedgehog and began to speak: "I never knew you were so patient my dear adversary. It's too bad, your time has come." Without another word, a loud bang blasted into the air. The sky gradually darkened while the wind began to blow at an immense force. The limbs holding Sonic turned around and revealed a mind-numbing site. A gaping void stood in front of him. Pure darkness resided inside. It howled and screeched horribly like a dying animal in unimaginable pain. "....Wha?" was all Sonic could mutter. "This is what I have been planning for the past month." Eggman began. "While playing with a few of the chaos emeralds a while ago, I seemed to have, well, broken one..."

"...WHA?"

"Silence, I'm talking! Despite that, it seems its power was enhanced, and I was able to create this: A one way ticket to nowhere, just for you. But, I'm not even sure if it indeed goes nowhere. In fact, it could possibly lead to any destination, any time, any dimension!"

"Y-you're...throwing me in there!?"

"Well aren't you a smart boy! Yes Sonic, you are going to be my one time guinea pig. And I give you the privilege to tell me what it's like, that is, if you ever return!" There was no hesitation as the seven arms released the hedgehog upwards into the air. The absent eighth limb reared its ugly head to smack the hero into the mysterious void. The mad doctor cackled away, but not without his last words.

"GOOD BYE AND GOOD RIDDANCE, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG!!"


	2. Where Have You Been?

Bit by bit, his eyesight returned. It was still too blurry to make out all the shadows surrounding him. He tried to get up. A sharp pain shot through every cell of his body. All the hedgehog could do was groan. It didn't help that he couldn't remember where he was or why he was there. His very last memory was as vague as his vision. "If I could just get up," Sonic whispered as he encouraged himself. After much effort, he was finally able to sit up. He looked at himself. His arms were unscathed and his legs were just fine. In fact his entire body was perfectly normal. So why was he in so much pain? "Ahh, I needa an aspirin...," the rodent groaned some more and held his head. It throbbed horribly to the touch. He closed his eyes and nearly curled up into a ball. Then there was rustling noise, like something was moving through bushes. Sonic quickly uncurled himself and sat straight up. His eyesight was clear and what he saw was quite ugly.

In a clearing surrounded by leafless trees and ash-colored shrubs was where he sat. The rustling sounds echoed throughout the area, keeping the hedgehog from pinpointing were it was coming from. Suddenly, a solid object rammed into the back of his head. "I swear, if you move, I will shoot your filthy brains out all over this clearing," a gruff voiced muttered from behind him. Obviously, the object shoved into the back of Sonic's head was a gun. Whoever was threatening him also didn't appear to be very happy. There was only one way to get out of a situation like this. Swiftly and proficiently, the blue blur got to his feet, turned on a heel and grabbed the offender's gun-toting arm. With his right leg, he kicked him in the head. The hat the offender was wearing flew off, revealing blond locks. As the stranger fell to the floor, Sonic gained a head start and dashed off. His escape was sadly brought to a close. The explosion of two gunshots rang in the air. One bullet missed its target. The other fired straight through his left leg. "GAAAHH!!" the hedgehog shrieked in agony. The shot to his leg and the already existing pain had overloaded his limits. The hero collapsed to the floor. His vision began to blur once again as blood leaked from the bullet wound. His ears picked up the thip-thip-thip of running feet. The stranger who dared to shoot him had ran to his side. The figure rolled him onto his back and started to shake his shoulders. In a pleading voice it shouted, "NO!! I'M SORRY! STAY AWAKE SONIC, IT'S ME!!" As much as he wanted, Sonic couldn't obey. He simply stared into the blue eyes of the stranger and passed out.

...

Unlike before, the hedgehog's eyes shot open this time around. He scrambled to his feet. The excruciating shock of pain in his leg stopped him. The bloodied cloth wrapped around his leg surprised him though. Sonic decided to lie on the floor instead. He stared into the sky. It was darker, like nighttime. The trees around him appeared to be the same before he blacked out. _"Whew, how long was I out?" _he thought. Before he could think again, the sound of rustling flooded his ears. "Oh God, not again," he nearly choked on his words. Despite the pain, Sonic sprung to his feet. Well at least one foot; his left leg was injured to the point where he had to balance on the other. He checked the area. Just as before, he couldn't tell were the sound was coming from. As he hopped around the small clearing, a figure appeared from the bushes in front of him. Silence fell upon the two. "Wha--You're awake!?" the figure spoke. It was awfully confused. "Yes I'm awake!" Sonic growled. "You think you can just go around shooting innocent people!?"

"I told you, I'm sorry. I regret doing that fully. Just sit back down Son--"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME!?"

"I...oh dammit, you don't even know who I am, do you?" the shadow in the brush sighed. It had no other choice but to reveal it's self. Slowly, it stepped out of the dark and into the light of the moon. Sonic trembled as his jaw dropped. He couldn't believe the sight. Standing before him was a dirty blond fox. Around his waist was a black leather belt with a matching gun holster attached to it. He wore a cap on his head and muddy combat boots on his feet. The fox's sad blue-eyed stare made Sonic equally depressed. "....T-Tails!? It's--My God, you're taller than--Wait, YOU shot me!?" the hedgehog couldn't put the pieces together. It didn't make any sense at all. Before he could say another word, the fox ran up to him and hugged him fiercely. The unexpected gesture nearly knocked him over. "It's you, it's really you!" he sobbed onto the hedgehogs shoulder. "But....Tails, what's going on!? Why are you suddenly towering over me!?" Sonic began to asked, but he just so happened to look down. "OH MY GOD, WHERE'S YOUR SECOND TAIL!?!? TAILS CAN'T BE TAILS IF HE DOESN'T HAVE TWO TAILS!!"

"P-Please, stop calling me that...," the fox whispered as he released his friend. "It's Miles."

"But...I don't understand! What the hell happened to you?"

"It's a long story..."

"Oh great, that's just what I needed to hear!"

"Please Sonic, calm down. I need you to ask you a question."

"Oho! I gotta answer your question before you answer all of mine!?" Sonic was thoroughly fed up. After another second of silence, he saw in the fox's eyes that his inquiry was much more important. "Okay, fine. What is it? But I'm telling you now; you better answer me after this!" The fox gave him a small grateful smile and commenced with his question. "Where....where have you been Sonic?" Miles questioned. At first, Sonic gave a blank stare. Then he laughed in his face. "Whoa! What!? I've been right here! I can't possibly go anywhere since you shot--"

"DROP IT ALL READY. YES I SHOT YOU, SO FREAKIN' WHAT!? I SAY YOU DESERVED IT FOR ALL THESE YEARS!"

"YEARS!?!"

"YES, DAMMIT YES!! YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR A LONG TIME SONIC. IN FACT, YOU JUST DISAPPEARED FOR A WHOLE DAMN DECADE!!"

".....What?" the hedgehog answered meekly. He was completely baffled. As he stood speechless, Miles got the chance to settle down. "Do you remember the last fight you were in, Sonic? With Amy, Knuckles and me? We were all after Eggman in the middle of the city, just like how we used to be...," the fox began to tear up. "And somehow, he got the upper hand. Eggman wiped the floor with us, Sonic. The bastard even destroyed the Tornado! A-And I remember waking up in a hospital bed, Cream and her mother at my side. They said Amy was near death, the doctors had to induce a coma to save her. T-Then.....Knuckles came in the room. If you had seen him...you would've thought he'd woken up from the dead! That's just how bad it was. But it wasn't just us, hundreds of people who were unfortunate enough to get caught in our fight were injured, some dead! But what Knuckles said to me that day, it changed my world, and soon enough, everyone's world. He said you were nowhere to be found. The authorities couldn't find you, the government labeled you M.I.A, and not even G.U.N knew where you were! We all thought....you were dead."

".......You're lying."

"Sonic--"

"YOU'RE LYING!!"

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M LYING!?" Miles furiously stomped his foot on the ground. The tears came rushing down his face again. He glanced at the hedgehog, and saw he was tearing up too. "After a year, we finally lost all hope. We settled with the fact that we would never see your face again. But now," Miles paused and laughed nervously. "You're here, standing in front of me, practically unchanged from such a long absence. And all I can ask is how? Or why?"

"You know I can't answer that," Sonic mumbled. His eyes stared down at the floor. For a moment there was an awkward silence between the two. Suddenly, the hedgehog spoke: "If it's been ten years that means your eighteen now, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"....What's beer taste like?"

"I-I...I don't know, I've never tried it."

"Oh...damn," the hedgehog snapped his fingers in disappointment. All the fox did was smile. His childhood friend hadn't changed at all. "So...are we just gonna stand here or--"

"Oh! No, we have to leave. It's really late; something could be out here in the woods waiting for us." The fox suddenly grabbed his friend. He threw Sonic's arm over his shoulders and waited for him to hop along with his footsteps. Once in sync, they walked together out of the clearing and into the forest. It was much darker here. The hedgehog could hardly see, but Miles seemed to know the path by heart. "Where are we going?" Sonic asked. "Back."

"....Back where?"

"To the others."

"There are people here!?" Sonic was surprised. If anything, most people, human or animal, chose to live in the cities. Very few stayed in the woods. "Not exactly, Sonic," Miles replied. "Things became pretty bad once you were gone. Some people began to believe you disappearing was a government conspiracy. They started rebellions and destroyed the towns and other urban areas. People either left or they were killed."

"How many people are here?"

"Very, very few. Not a lot of them could handle the transition from their city lifestyles. But every now and then, I see two or three people out foraging for food."

"Are the cities alright?"

"To tell you the truth, I haven't seen Station Square or any city for a while. I'm not sure if they're even standing anymore."

"Crap. And all this happened because of a few rebellions?"

"It wasn't just rebellions..."

"Then what was it?"

"Eggman." At the moment, the pair had stumbled into another open area. Just a few steps away from them was the edge of a cliff. As Sonic's eyes traveled over the cliff, his heart sank. A miserable, grey scenery lied ahead of him and his friend. Instead of the once luscious, beautiful trees, nearly all of the wood in the forest was without leaves. The rolling hills were sprinkled with cold, dusty dirt. The sky, now darkened from the night, was a quilt thick with clouds. Even the mountains in the distance seemed like they were sulking. "Not even a week had past after our fight before Eggman attacked again," the fox spoke. "But that time, he went after G.U.N. He only stopped when their forces were severely weakened. After that, he attacked the public in general and it turned into a war. It lasted for weeks, then months, then years. It wasn't until about a few months ago, when less and less attacks occurred, that things began to feel normal. Now all that's left is a wavering sense of security." The hedgehog next to him sighed in distress. "Where is Eggman now?" he asked. "Over there," Miles answered and pointed a finger out into the distance. Very far into the horizon was tall, metallic structure. It stretched out from the north to the south until it dissolved away into the rest of the forest. "He built this wall during the war to manufacture and harbor his troops. I honestly think it encircles the entire planet."

"What the hell does he do in there?"

"I can't say. When there were more people around, he sent out robots to capture them. And every person he caught was put through a series of experiments."

"....Is that what happened to you?" Immediately, the fox cringed. He quickly turned away from Sonic, but it was too late. "I'm sorry! I just thought--"

"I know what you were thinking. It's alright." Minutes passed as they continued to stare at the ominous wall in the distance. After a while, they set out on their journey again, but all Sonic could think of was a way to make things right once more.


	3. Rejected

"Does your leg still hurt?"

"Duh! You think I'm hopping on one foot 'cause I feel like it?!"

"Maybe."

"Ugh, whatever. Are we there yet Tail--I mean, Miles?"

"Yeah, were almost there." It had been more than an hour, and the boys were still treading through the gloomy woods. "You sure you're not lost?" the hedgehog finally asked. He had been thinking it ever since they started walking. "Were not lost, Sonic."

"But are you sur--"

"Yes! I'm sure! Now look; we're already here." Miles had stopped walking causing Sonic to lose his footing. After regaining momentum, the hedgehog looked around. They stood in a small plot of land with a few rocks and a rotted stump. "This looks like every other clearing we've been through."

"That's where you're wrong," The fox announced. He let go of Sonic and ran towards the largest rock in the field. Miles pushed it over. As a result, a circular gap in the ground unearthed its self. The hole was only a few feet away from the hedgehog. "You live underground?" he questioned, greatly surprised. "Building a house is basically suicide; anything taller than the trees and isn't a tree itself is blown up by Eggman."

"Hmm. Is it nice living down there?

"It's better than living nowhere," Miles responded. He walked back to Sonic, but made a turn towards the hole. "You stay here. I need to get someone first." he said before stepping down into the hole. The hedgehog waited until the fox returned. In the meantime, he tried to use his left leg. Ever so gently, he placed the foot of his injured limb on the floor. He winced as the pain from his leg climbed up his spine. _"This is going to be hell," _the hedgehog brooded while quickly lifting his leg up again. At times like this, he would've been tapping his foot impatiently. However, that action appeared near in impossible in his present state. Luckily, his wait was over. Sonic's ear stood on edge as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the hole. Along with this, there were voices. The hedgehog recognized one voice as the fox's. Miles' now matured tone was something Sonic couldn't forget. The second voice though, was completely new and yet so very familiar. Finally, the blond fox emerged from the hole in the ground. Accompanying him was one of the hedgehog's best allies and even better rival: the redheaded echidna. Unfortunately, he wasn't as excited as Sonic. "So what do you think?" Miles addressed the echidna. There was a pause of silence before he gave his answer. "I'm thinking that you found another one of Eggass's bots that just so happens to resemble our friend who was killed some while ago."

"Knuckles..."

"No, I'm serious!" the redhead claimed and poked a finger in the fox's chest. "And because this mechanical monster looks like our friend, you don't have the heart to destroy em'. So you dragged it back here so I could finish the job."

"Er, what!?" Sonic's voiced cracked. His smile quickly faded as the echidna stepped up to him. Just like Miles, Knuckles had changed considerably. He stood nearly a foot taller than the hedgehog and had twice as much muscle mass. An ugly, rugged scar traveled down his left shoulder. The disfigurement disappeared into the metal cuff of the echidna's brown, leather gloves. These same gloves wrapped themselves around the hedgehog's neck. Sonic choked. "This'll only a take a second", the echidna growled. "After all, a piece of scrap metal like you can't feel the pain of death." Instantly, Sonic reacted with a scream. The idle fox behind them finally stepped up to the plate. "Put him down!!" Miles shouted and grabbed the echidna's arm. With a muffled thump, the hedgehog was released and landed on the floor. "What the hell is your problem?! Are you that attached this thing!?" Knuckles furiously questioned. "No! You're the one with the problem. You're always beating the crap out of everything when a civil discussion can solve our problems!"

"Screw you!!"

"Just look at his leg dammit!" The fox pointed to Sonic's injured limb. At first, Knuckles glared at the hedgehog's bandages, but soon enough his eyes widened with curiosity. "...Is that blood?"

"I shot him earlier. As I removed the bullet, I just broke down; it was all organic. Blood, muscle, bone, and not a fragment of metal to be found. It's really him, Knuckles," Miles calmly stated in near whisper. A chilly breeze blew as the three stared at one another. Knuckles tightly closed his eyes. His hand balled up into a trembling fist. "Well then," Sonic started while trying to stand up again. "I guess this is all cleared--" Before he could utter another word, the hero found himself in the echidna's death grip once again: the redhead had him pinned up against a tree with his feet dangling in the air. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" Sonic yelled in fear. He hadn't even finished his sentence, and before he could blink, the echidna was all riled up once more. "WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING!?" Knuckles angrily mocked him. "MORE LIKE "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN"!! TEN YEARS HEDGEHOG. TEN GUT-WRENCHING, BLOOD FILLED YEARS AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SHOW UP LIKE EVERYTHING IS ALL FINE AND DANDY!!" Just as fast as he scooped him up, Knuckles threw the rodent into the dirt. He then began to walk back to the hole in the ground. Meanwhile, Miles ran to Sonic's side. "I'm sorry Sonic, but..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." The fox slowly pulled his friend to his feet. "Let's just hope that everyone else is more reasonable," the blond stated. The pair also began to make their way towards the hole. Unfortunately, the echidna had other plans. He stood in front of the entrance with arms crossed in an agitated manner. His cold gaze was aimed at the hedgehog. "The trash stays outside," Knuckles muttered through clenched teeth. "HEY!" Sonic quickly retorted, but the fox held him back. "What do you mean?" Miles spoke for the hedgehog. "You know what I mean, Prower. Even if he could be the hope to our future, he's not stepping a foot into these quarters."

"I don't think you understand the significance of this situation Knuckles!"

"Oh, I understand very well!"

"HE'S SUFFERED ENOUGH!"

"WELL HE CAN CERTAINLY SUFFER SOME MORE SINCE HE ISN'T DEAD YET!!" Nothing more was said from either of the boys. The redhead finally disappeared into the gap in the ground. Miles stayed behind. Unexpectedly, Sonic nudged him forward. "Just go," his saddened voice proposed. The fox immediately turned to face him. "But Sonic--"

"Don't worry about me. I'll live, just like he said."

"...I really didn't think this would happen."

"What'd you expect? Knuckles' is a stubborn jerk." The hedgehog forced a smile to encourage his friend. Eventually, the fox left, and the hole leading to shelter closed behind him. Sonic was alone once again. He was cold, tired, and hungry. All the emotions going through his head made him feel sick. And most important, he was unwanted.


	4. Reality Check

Sonic didn't sleep for the rest of the night. In fact, he couldn't sleep. Even if he was tired, he wouldn't allow his mind to rest. If he shutdown now, he'd miss out on something else new. Though, any current information now could never make up for the amount that was loss during his ten year absence.

Since he didn't slumber, the hedgehog stared at the clouds while he lied in the dirt. With every minute, the cottony quilt became lighter and lighter as dawn approached. _"This would be much more entertaining if the sun was out,"_ Sonic reflected, still watching the heavens. It was upsetting to consider that in this time and place, he'd never see the sun again. He could never welcome it as it raised, departure with it as it set, or hope to see it after heavy rainfall. All the years the hero spent racing through the rays of the gleaming orb were now memories. There was a bit of a bright side to this problem. "At least I won't get sunburned," the hedgehog chuckled to himself. He didn't know how much time past by, but it certainly was morning. A nearby patch of grass was drowned in dew. The air was cool and blew lightly through the trees. The dead silence was very peaceful despite how horrendous the environment looked. Unexpectedly, a voice called out his name. "Sonic?" it gently spoke from a fair distance that the hedgehog almost didn't hear it. Sonic sat up and made eye contact with the blond fox. Miles stood in the hole leading to shelter. The blue rodent could only dream of what it was like in there. "I brought you food," Miles said as he stepped out the hole. He held a wooden bowl and spoon in his hands. "Awesome, I'm starved," Sonic grinned widely as his friend joined him on the ground. He honestly would've begun eating dirt if the fox hadn't arrived sooner. Before anything else, he snatched the bowl from Miles grasp. The dish contained warm, creamy soup. The hedgehog greedily brought the bowl to his lips, ignoring the spoon completely. In seconds, the dish was no more. "That was pretty good!" he exclaimed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "When'd you learn to cook?"

"I didn't make it. It was actually leftover from last night," Miles replied. He then scratched the back of his head. "Were you all right during the night? Nothing happened right?"

"Nope. It's pretty quiet around here. You made it seem like there was rabid bear waiting for me in the dark."

"Well it's never been this tranquil before. It just seems like something horrible is bound to happen."

"God Tai--Miles. You're so pessimistic now..."

"There's no room for optimism here," the fox gloomily stared Sonic in the eyes. Miles then diverted his eyes to the hedgehog's injured leg. Sonic sighed. "Yeah, it still hurts, if that's what you were about to ask," the hedgehog announced with a smile. However, the fox wasn't laughing. He got to his feet and glanced at his friend who was still sitting. "Can you get up?"

"I guess. Why?"

"I'm bringing you inside," The fox answered and turned around. As he walked towards the whole, Sonic made his best attempt to stand up. When he didn't fall on his face, he quickly limped after Miles. "What about Knuckles?"

"What about him? He doesn't care about you. And he obviously won't reason with us, so now it's time for plan B."

"....Alright." Sonic genuinely didn't mind. Miles put up a good point, and he was beginning to fear his leg would get infected anyway. Together, they ventured into the hole. As the gap above them closed, Sonic found himself standing in a narrow tunnel. It was poorly lit with a few dying lanterns plus there was a funny smell. Luckily, the passageway was warmer than the outside. He didn't have time to comment given that Miles was still moving. Just a few steps away was a door at the end of the tunnel. As he approached the door, the fox pulled his gun from its holster. "I really don't think this is a good time for that," Sonic started. "It's the only way to get in," the blond countered. He raised the butt of his gun up to a small glass screen on the door. A green beam of light scanned the fox's gun. Afterwards, a soft beeping went off and the door slid open. _"What happened to a simple doorknob and key?"_ the hedgehog thought while he limped along behind Miles.

Upon walking indoors, Sonic was thoroughly surprised. What he believed to be a comfortable, cozy place was almost the complete opposite. The two were in a medium-sized room. The same dim lanterns from the tunnel also dotted the walls of the space. A small entryway laid in the wall to the left. Sheets of metal made up the ceiling and wooden rafters and columns kept everything from caving in. The ashes of burned wood lied in the middle of the dirt floor while even more sheets and scraps of metal stood up against earth walls. "What the hell!?" Sonic loudly expressed his disappointment. "What did you expect? A penthouse with a view of Emerald Coast?" Miles retorted. "Well I just...thought it was different."

"We don't live in luxury, Sonic. Get used to it." The fox then made his way towards the doorway on the left. "Come on, everyone is still sleeping so try to be quiet." Sonic followed the blond through the room. The entryway was a snug fit; both boys had to bend over to get through. "Hey, what time is it anyway?" the hedgehog inquired.

"Seven in the morning."

"You're sure up early."

"I try to get out of this hell hole as much as possible."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone here might be "friends" or whatever you want to call it, but sometimes it's good to leave your friends. That's impossible, since we're all under the same roof. Everyday, somebody slams a door in anger. It's like a horrible reality show with people you know too much information about."

"I guess that is asking for trouble..." Sonic mumbled. At this point, the pair stood in a kitchen. Sonic's mood lightened; this area was much more inviting. Instead of mostly metal components, nearly everything was wooden. A wooden ceiling, flooring, walls, cabinets, counters, and even a wood table and set of chairs. The lumber may have been old, and was oddly missing a sink, but it was much better than cold, hard steel to the hedgehog. Seeing that he had stopped, Miles grabbed his friend by the arm, and they stepped through another doorway. They walked through a short hall. The passage contained four doors. The door farthest to the right was sealed shut with heavy locks. Finally, the fox stopped at the door closet to the kitchen. "I'll stay with you for as long as I can," the blond glanced at Sonic. "But once the others get up, I'll have to leave. You just have to be as quiet as possible when that time comes."

"Okay then," Sonic said, but his eyes were fixated on the door with the heavy locks. It was the strangest sight he had seen so far. "Seriously Sonic, just the sound of your voice might send someone into cardiac arrest." Miles then opened the door in front of them, exposing the interior of a small, rectangular room. There was a little amount of furniture; just a bed, desk, and chair. A round lamp sat on the desk along with a pile of wrinkled papers. The bed in corner was mainly a chunk of wood with a mattress on top. Sitting next to desk was an old, weathered box labeled in dark red letters "DO NOT TOUCH". The two stepped inside and made themselves at home. "Snazzy place you got here," Sonic sarcastically claimed as he flopped onto the mattress. It was so soft; he almost passed out upon touching it. "It's the best I can do. I obviously can't get paint," Miles added and sat down at the desk. He took his black cap off, releasing short, shaggy locks of hair. "You know there's always wallpaper!"

"Sonic..."

"I'm just kidding, geez." The hedgehog chuckled to himself and rolled over onto his back. As soon as Miles left, he'd go right to sleep. Before that though, he wanted to know more about his surroundings. "So, uh, did you make this place from scratch?" Sonic asked. "Yes, and no," the blond answered. "Knuckles initially dug out the first room. Then I "assisted" him with everything else."

"Dude's on an ego trip, huh?"

"You're one to talk," Miles quickly smirked as the hedgehog frowned. The fox waved his hand playfully and continued: "I could care less really. I know what I contributed in, that's all that matters to me." After a few seconds of twiddling his thumbs, Sonic presented another question: "How long have you been living here?"

"A while I guess. Six or seven years at most."

"Okay. Why exactly did you choose to live, well, here?"

"There was nowhere else to go and no forms of transportation to find a new place to call home. Once the war started hitting the cities, Knuckles said he heard of others going underground. It was worth a shot then since we had no other choices."

"So you're gonna stay here forever?!"

"Sonic. There is nowhere else to go. The world is on its last strings; the chances of finding a civilization still intact are close to nothing." With a weary sigh, the hedgehog closed his eyes. He didn't like what he was hearing. Unfortunately, he still had more things to ask. Sonic sat up and stared the fox in the eyes. "What happened to everyone else we know?" he solemnly asked. The question was enough to make Miles exhale a troubled sigh. His hand automatically reached up to his head, letting his fingers run through his bangs. "Who do you want to start with?" Miles prompted. "Uh, I don't know...Amy?"

"Ooh, bad choice..." the fox cringed as his hand covered his eyes. "What? Why?" the hedgehog panicked. His friend's reaction was quite disheartening. Miles slowly uncovered his face and gave Sonic a sad glance. "I told you about her coma, right?"

"...Y-yes."

"Well, she did wake up. And honestly, that's the only good thing you'll be getting from me."

"Just tell me what happened, man."

"She lost it. Waking up and hearing that you were gone was too much for her. She wouldn't believe anybody. It was a classic case of denial. And the next thing you know, she went and tried to kill her self with pain-killers the doctors prescribed to her." Miles words were met with silence. He looked at the hedgehog sitting on the bed, with his horrified gaze staring back at him. Despite this he kept talking: "Luckily, she was found half-conscious and was rushed to the nearest hospital."

"Who found her?"

"Cream," Miles paused to scratch his head. "Now that I think about it, if it weren't for the fire, Amy wouldn't be here..."

"The what?!"

"Cream's home was burned down during a rebel outbreak. She lost her chao, her mother, everything, even her happiness. Amy had taken her in seeing that there was no one else to care for her."

"But they're both okay now?"

"I wouldn't use that word. I mean, they are living. Amy went to rehab and Cream had a new home, but they never really were the same again. Cream became bitter and Amy turned into a nervous wreck." Once he stopped again, Sonic hunched over and held his head in hands. He wondered if they should continue the conversation. "We can stop if you've had enough," Miles calmly stated. The hedgehog acknowledged the fox's worry. "No, it's alright. I, er..." Another question instantly popped into his head. Sonic sat up and stared the blond in the eyes. "Knuckles. I mean his arm. What happened there?" he curiously questioned. Miles responded with a quick flash of a frown. "That's what happens when...you don't look out for one another."

"Huh?"

"The war was at its peak when we were busy digging out this place. Robots, of course, where everywhere so it was hard to get around without being shot at. Even with that, Knuckles dragged me around to get more building materials and tools. We'd be out in the woods all day and night, sometimes for more than a week trying to turn a ditch in the ground into a usable shelter."

"I think you guys did a good job," Sonic butted in. His remark made Miles smile, but only for so long. His serious demeanor quickly returned. "It was dusk when it happened. We were nearly done with everything; I just needed to install the security system--"

"You mean that thing you with your gun and the front door?"

"Yeah, the idea was that each of us would have an item with a bar code on it, and the scanner on the door would read it. The scanner would only accept the codes we had; nothing else could get it to open."

"That's pretty cool actually."

"Well it nearly cost us a life," fox suddenly spat out. "The system kept rejecting the codes I had entered in it for it to recognize. Apparently some of the fuses in the inner core had blown out. Since there was no space in the tunnel, we left most of the tools outside. I asked Knuckles to get me new fuses. He left..." The fox abruptly ended as he seemed to freeze up. Finally, he shook his head and filtered his fingers through his hair again. "...And he never came back."

"He abandoned you there?"

"That's what I thought at first. But as the light from outside started to fade, I started thinking differently. I finally left to see where he went a-and....there was just blood everywhere. And in right in front of me, he was there, lying in a pool of his own blood. I thought he was dead. His entire left arm was split open with shreds of flesh hanging on for dear life. My first reaction was to get help, but I couldn't leave him there, not like that. I tired to move him, but he was alive, and I guess the pain from my attempts woke him up. His screams are still stuck in my to this day. The only thing I could do then was light a fire and hope someone noticed the smoke. It wasn't until late in the night that help finally came."

A blank expression had planted itself on Sonic's face. He was so disturbed he could hardly speak. "W-what happened next?" he finally choked out. Miles was affected by his own tale, and had a hard time continuing what he started. "We got to the hospital. The minute the doctors saw him, they wanted to amputate his arm. I spent most of that night giving them reasons not to. It was so refreshing when they listened to me. After that, all they did was clean the wound and sutured it up. The end result was a nearly useless arm and Knuckles didn't like that one bit. Once the pain went away, he did heavy training....and steroids."

"....Please repeat that last bit."

"You heard me," the fox smiled slightly. Sonic wanted to smile with him, but he was still shaken by what he had just endured. The hedgehog let out a loud sigh and threw himself backwards. The mattress he sat on was still so soft. "You've had enough?" Miles asked. "Yes. In fact, I've probably had too much," Sonic replied dryly. He tried to relax, but the next sound sent shivers up his spine. Someone knocked on the door to the room. Immediately, both boys stood up. They exchanged quiet glances. A single finger rose up to Miles lips, signaling to the hedgehog to be his quietest. The fox then made his way to the door. "Yes?" Miles voice rang as he talked through the door. "D-do you...do you want breakfast, Miles?" a frail voice answered. Of all the voices Sonic knew, he couldn't tell who it was. It sounded so sad, so lifeless. "No, I make my own breakfast. You know that Amy," the fox spoke again through the door, but quickly bit his lip. The utterance of the girl's name made Sonic nearly shriek. The hedgehog caught himself by covering his hands with his mouth. "Oh. Y-yes, you're right. I'm sorry to bother you."

"It's alright Amy..." The voice made no other reply, confirming the girl had left. Miles turned around. He watched a grief-stricken Sonic slowly sit himself back on the bed. "You guys have all changed so much," the hedgehog began. His saddened eyes met with the fox's. "I don't think I can handle this."

"I don't know what to say Sonic," Miles tried to reassure, but to no avail. Sonic lied on the bed again, too sleepy and distressed to do anything else.


	5. Miss Take

"So what happened yesterday?"

"Hmf?"

"You came home and asked Knuckles to step outside. And when you both came back a few minutes later, you were both upset."

"Ohh, that..." Miles replied, trying his hardest to stall his answer. Since Sonic passed out in the middle of their conversation, the fox had no choice but to keep the second hedgehog in the kitchen company. Otherwise, she would have come to get him on her own. Wanting to avoid that outcome, he sat with her at the table as she ate breakfast. "Well?" the girl quietly, yet sternly prompted. Despite her feeble appearance, there was still a hint of authority in Miss Amy Rose. "Amy, do we have to talk about this? It's too early..."

"Well alright then. I just wanted to know, but I guess we are all entitled to keep our secrets." Her visible disappointment was enough to make Miles talk. The guilt searing at his heart was just too much. "Alright, you want to know? We just had a talk, a little man-to-man talk that a woman wouldn't understand!" the fox fold his arms across his chest assertively. Unimpressed, Amy giggled in his face. "You're a horrible liar Miles," she claimed while twirling a knife in her fingers. "I-I'm not lying!"

"It's okay, I understand. You're an adult now and I shouldn't pressure you anymore."

"But I'm not..." the fox whined and slouched over in his chair. "I'll just let you know now, Miles," Amy stood up with her empty dish. "Whatever you're keeping from me will come back to get you later." The smile on her face was murdered by a serious frown. The blond fox simply looked away; the irony of her statement made him feel worse. Luckily, Amy had turned around and missed his regretful reaction. She had placed her plate on a counter top and was now searching through a cupboard. At last, she pulled out a tea pot. "Would you like some tea?" she asked sweetly, but still with a tired tone. "Sure..." Miles answered. Maybe tea would relax his nerves...

...

The blue blur awoke to his face lying in a puddle of drool. Fortunately, this meant his dream of drowning was indeed a dream. Sonic turned the pillow over to a dryer side and planted his face in it. He would have gone right back to sleep if it weren't for a sudden crash and sharp yelp. The hedgehog peered over the side of the pillow and witnessed something he wished he hadn't. The chair to Miles' desk had fallen over and the lamp that sat on the desk was smashed into bits on the floor. Sprawled in the middle of the mess was a pale furred child. Sonic immediately sat up and glared at the sight in confusion. Upon hearing the mattress squeak, the child looked up at the hedgehog. Their eyes locked in a death-stare that seemed to last for centuries. Finally, the little furball sprang to its feet. "You're that guy form the picture..." it mumbled in awe. "Whaa?" Sonic was at a loss for words. Right in front of his eyes stood a white, curly-haired child. It remotely resembled an echidna, a detail that made him most nervous.

The child scrunched its little face into a fierce frown. "You're supposed to be dead," it growled lowly. "So I've heard..." the hedgehog replied nonchalantly. "What're you gonna do about it, whitey?" Sonic's involuntary name-calling quickly enraged the child. It stamped its foot on the floor and exclaimed: "I'm telling on you!" Recalling his childhood, Sonic was filled with horror. Being "told on" was not a fun experience, especially in his current situation. "The hell you are!!" Sonic shouted and jumped off the bed. The child scrambled out of the room as its blue pursuer was met with nasty surprise: socks and broken glass don't mix. Sonic yowled and fell to the floor, falling on more glass and then some. "YA LITTLE BRAT, GET BACK HERE!" the hedgehog roared with anger as he attempted standing up. The throbbing pain in his leg only allowed him to kneel on the ground. Instead, he began to pick the pieces of glass out of his hair. Not even a minute later, Sonic's ears were met with excited snickering and a fearful gasp. He looked up and saw the child that caused his rude awakening, however his thoughts were more focused on the person the child's little hands clung to. "...Rouge?"

...

"More tea?"

"Just a little bit." The blond fox watched the brown liquid flow from the spout of the pot and into his cup. The scent was lovely and the taste just as rich. "It's like with every sip, the flavor is enhanced," Amy began while taking her cup away from her lips. "Don't you just love tea?"

"Um, yeah..." Miles reluctantly answered her. Years ago, something as simple as tea probably wouldn't have been any interest to her. The fox sighed, his mind only occupied on the taste of sweet tea and a decade long past. "Amy..."

"Hm?"

"Are you happy?" As quick as the words that passed his lips, Amy's expression became one of melancholy. Realizing what he had asked, Miles tried to set things right. "Ahahaha--I mean, more tea??" The fox scooped up the tea pot as an anxious smile appeared on his face. Neither were smiling as a quick shriek rang through the adjoining hall and into the kitchen. The tea pot slipped from the fox's hands and thudded onto the table. "The hell was that?" he muttered. "It sounded like Rouge..." Amy said before taking another sip of her tea. "Must've been a spider or something."

"A spider? Well she should be happy! I can't remember the last time I saw any kind of bug." The hedgehog grabbed the tea pot and poured herself a second cupful. At the same time, Miles stood up. There was an anxious look in his eyes. "You better not, Miles," the girl sternly commanded. "Rouge can handle a spider."

"Well, what if it's not a spider? And maybe a snake...with two heads!" An annoyed scoff escaped from the girl's lips. She rolled her eyes, then drank more tea. "Fine. Help little Miss Muffet then," Amy waved him away, setting the fox free. He marched rather quickly out of the room, fearing the worst had taken place. Stepping into the hallway, Miles found a living hell unraveling before him. Standing in front of his open room was the cocaine-white child. Its head slowly turned as the blond approached. "What did you do now?!" Miles vehemently questioned. "Nuthin'," the child calmly replied. "But there's a zombie in your room." Miles nearly bit his tongue in half. He shoved the child out his way despite its loud protest and sped into his room. The sight was comically yet unsettling. In the farthest corner stood Sonic, shaking in fear and shielding himself with the chair of the Miles' desk. In front of Sonic, plus wielding a fairly large stick, stood a white haired bat clad in black pajamas. Both were screaming so loud that their speech was almost unintelligible. "TAILS. MILES. WHOEVER YOU ARE, TELL HER TO BACK OFF!!" the hedgehog managed to yell as he watched his friend run through the door. This unhappily diverted the bat's attention away from Sonic, and towards Miles. "Yooouuuu..." the woman snarled while slowly slapping the stick into her free hand. The fox began: "Rouge please, I know what this looks like, but just listen to me!"

"LISTEN? YOU WANT TO ME LISTEN?!" the crazed bat swung the stick in Sonic's direction. "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LISTEN WHEN YOU HAVE THIS HORRIBLE, TWISTED RECREATION OF YOUR DEAD FRIEND SITTING IN YOUR ROOM? IS THIS WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME, BRING DEAD PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE!?!"

"I DIDN'T MAKE HIM, HE'S REAL! HE WAS NEVER EVEN DEAD!"

"YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT!"

"YES! AND WILL YOU STOP WAVING THAT STICK AROUND!" Out of pure rage, the fox latched his hand onto the stick, commencing a heated game of tug-o-war. Back and forth the stick went, while it's two holders continued to scream at each other. Suddenly, Miles lost his grip, giving Rouge complete control again. Incidentally, she too lost her grip as the stick simply flew into the air, and crash-landed into Sonic's face. The hedgehog collapsed and all was silent. "YOU KILLED HIM," the child at the doorway finally blurted out. "Stop yelling," Rouge coolly spoke. "And go get your father."

"But he's sleepin--"

"DO AS I SAY!" With that, the child ran off, leaving Miles to fend for himself. "Rouge, please. Knuckles will kill me!" The fox's pleading made no difference. His worried gaze was met with a cold glare, but the bat said nothing to him. She shook her head in disappointment and left the room quietly. "What have I just got myself into?" the blond whispered to himself. He glanced at his friend's motionless body in the corner. The hedgehog was definitely out cold and would require a fair amount of strength to be moved. Miles began to lift Sonic up, figuring he could possibly move the hedgehog outside before anyone else could noticed. It was too bad that today was not his day. "Miles?" a horrified voice called out. Miles froze and turned around, only to be met by an appalled, pink hedgehog. He immediately dropped Sonic's body in a last minute attempt to clear his name. "Amy. Wait. I can explain."

"What kind of sick joke is this?!"

"It's n-not a joke. Well, I mean, it wasn't meant to be--" the fox shook his head. There was only way to do this. "Amy, what if Sonic was never dead?"

"...What?"

"What if he was alive for all these years and he just....just suddenly came back?" By now the fox had walked up to this hysterical girl. Her shaky hands made their way to her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. Despite the urge not to, she stared Miles in the eye as he asked, "What would you do?" Amy sobbed uncontrollably, yet she somehow managed to strike up enough strength to slap Miles across the face. He stumbled to the side and she shrieked, "YOU SICK BASTARD!!" Before he could do anything else, the blond watched his distraught friend storm away from his room. The fox stood up straight and walked back over the blue hedgehog's unconscious form lying on the floor. For the first time in the past twenty-four, he wished the hedgehog wasn't there.


End file.
